Don't Just Feed Your Appetite, Feed Your Brain

You invite friends over for dinner and spend a couple of days planning, shopping and cooking. By doing so, you have not only created an enjoyable evening for all, but you have exercised your brain.

- CAROL CORLEY

Cooking and planning meals work the brain’s executive functions, even if the result is a total kitchen flop and you end up ordering pizza.

Supporting your brain in the kitchen is definitely a fun activity. First, you can sit down with a cup of coffee and a bit of fruit and dark chocolate and browse through your favorite cookbook. The coffee and treats are already feeding your brain through anti-oxidants, flavonoids and even caffeine.

You settle on tuna, a member of the mackerel family, as it is rich in omega-3 fatty acids, which are important to support brain and nerve cells. Although epicurious.com suggests canned mackerel might be a better choice because of its richer taste and milder aroma, most people are used to tuna. Omega-3s are essential for learning and may slow age-related mental decline, according to healthline.com.

In addition to fatty fish, foods considered supportive of brain health include coffee, berries, turmeric, broccoli, pumpkin seeds, dark chocolate, nuts and especially walnuts, oranges, eggs and green tea. But it’s also important to eat the right quantity of food, get enough sleep, keep hydrated, exercise regularly and keep stress to a minimum.